St. Vincent's High and Technical School - History

History

St. Vincent's Technical School was started in 1877 on the grounds that the school now stands in. The land was purchased from the railways with the intention of producing trained mechanical and electrical artisan staff to bridge the talent shortage in the railways.

In 1895 the high school was founded by the Congregation of Christian Brothers, a Catholic society from Ireland that has undertaken missionary and educational work worldwide. This group, also informally known as the Christian Brothers, was founded by Sir Edmund Ignatius Rice. St. Vincent’s High and Technical School is one of the 19 Christian Brothers Schools in India. The foundation stone of St. Vincent’s School was laid by Dr. Meulman S.J., Archbishop of Calcutta, on 25 October 1919.

The history of the school dates back to 1914, when the Calcutta Improvement Trust was formed for opening up the congested parts of Calcutta. One of the roads, 100 feet wide, was designed to run through Chowringee Road to the Cathedral in Moorghihatta, where it was to run through the catholic male orphanage. This would leave CMO without a playground and kitchen. On a visit to St Patrick’s Asansol, Br Arsenius Ryan, the provincial of the Brothers, inspected an open partly cultivated plot of 50 bighas as a possible site for the orphanage. The site was purchased and with the addition of surrounding plots it increased to 390 bighas, the property on which St. Vincent’s now stands. Br Joseph Moyes was selected to superintend the erection of the buildings

In 1927 Br. Gabriel Pakenham was appointed superior and the first batch of 29 boys took up residence. They were soon joined by 20 more. Official government sanction came at the end of the year. Government stipulations were exacting so in 1928 it was decided to present students for the matriculation of Calcutta University.

Br. Baptist Collins who succeeded Br Packenham used part of the extensive property for dairy farming. The herd of St Vincent’s became the admiration of the district. Br. Aidan Callaghan followed Br. Collins in 1934.Affiliation to Calcutta University was made permanent in 1937. In 1938 arrangements were made for boys to sit for the Board of Apprenticeship Training examination.

In 1939 the war intervened. In 1942 the British military took over the school and 350 RAF men occupied all the buildings except the Chapel. Many of the boys went to St. Michael’s Kurji and were dealt with there as a unit by the education department under the title of “St Vincent’s school, Asansol, now at Kurji”.

In February 1946 Br Adjutor O’Connor returned as superior to take back the property from the military. On March 1, 1947 the school reopened. Rs. 21,117 was received from the military rental and compensation for damage to buildings and grounds

In 1949 the school became a technical school. Through the efforts of Br. J. E. McCann a building a 100 feet long and 60 feet wide was constructed and equipped for technical instruction. The provincial of the Christian Brothers in Australia offered the services of a qualified instructor in the person of Br Raphael Maher. The boys of St. Vincent’s were presented for the senior Cambridge examination with Metalwork, Woodwork and Technical Drawing along with Sciences, Mathematics English and Literature.

At the end of his term Br Maher returned to Australia in early 1955. Br C.J. Harrison came from Australia to take charge of the technical school. He was joined by Br R.C. Whiting and Br. R.A. Parton also from Australia.

The foundation stone of St. Vincent’s School was laid by Dr. Meulman S.J., Archbishop of Calcutta, on 25 October 1919.